Testicular Cancer Awareness Month | Tennessee Valley Urology Center
Testicular cancer. It comprises less than 1% of all cancers, yet in the US, it is the most common cancer among males ages 15 to 35. Since April is Testicular Cancer Awareness Month, Tennessee Valley Urology Center wants to help you get the facts about this highly treatable cancer.
What are the symptoms of testicular cancer?
It should be noted that pain is not a frequent sign of testicular cancer, and many symptoms won’t appear in the early stages of disease. That said, the most common signs include:
- A painless lump in a testicle
- A testicle that somehow “feels different” than normal
- A swollen testicle
- Pain or discomfort in a testicle or scrotum
- A feeling of heaviness in the scrotum
- Dull aching within the lower back, abdomen, or groin
- Fluid accumulation within the scrotum
- Significant fatigue or malaise with no known cause
If you have any of these symptoms, it’s important to see a doctor. However, these symptoms don’t necessarily mean that you have cancer. Even when someone has a lump in their testes, it is rarely cancerous. But you should never ignore a lump–see your doctor so they can determine the cause.
You can read more about the causes of testicular bumps here.
As with most cancers, testicular cancer can spread to the lymph nodes. However, it rarely travels to any other organs. Symptoms that testicular cancer has spread include:
- Coughing with no known cause
- Difficulty breathing
- Trouble swallowing
- Swelling in the chest
Because testicular cancer is so treatable in the early stages, it’s important that men perform routine self-exams and see their doctor promptly if they notice changes within their scrotum or testes. You can learn more about how to do a self-exam here.
What are the risk factors for testicular cancer?
Researchers have found the following factors to raise a male’s risk of developing testicular cancer:
- An undescended testicle
- Congenital abnormalities of the penis, kidneys, or testicles
- Inguinal hernia (occurs in the groin from birth)
- Previous testicular cancer in the other testicle
- A family history of testicular cancer
- Abnormal testicular development such as with Klinefelter’s syndrome
- Mumps, along with testicular swelling
- Caucasian ancestry
Do you have any questions about testicular cancer? Tennessee Valley Urology Center is your go-to source for all things related to your urologic health, so please don’t hesitate to contact us with your needs. We aim to help you with dignity and compassion, understanding that these conditions can be uncomfortable to talk about. Visit our website today to learn more about our center or call us at (423)472-3201 to make an appointment.